Stop the junk-mail madness

Does the unwanted information flooding your life make you want to go against the flow?

Few people like to be stopped midbite to answer unsolicited sales calls during dinner. Then again, maybe you're having spam -- the kind that clogs your e-mail inbox until you can't find the messages you actually want.

Now consider the trees. The average American receives more than 500 pieces of junk mail each year, and 44 percent of junk mail enters the waste stream before it's ever opened, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. That makes junk mail one of the reduce/re-use/recycle movement's worst enemies.

Tired of being swept up in the current?

Don't worry. You can stop the flow. Here's how:

Optoutprescreen.com: The website tells the four major credit reporting companies that you don't wish to receive prescreened or preapproved offers for a new credit card or insurance policy. The free service gives you the option of opting out for five years or permanently. (Although if you change your mind, you can always register to opt back in.)

The five-year opt-out can be handled online, while opting out permanently involves mailing a form. Either way, you'll be asked to provide your name, address, Social Security number and date of birth. You can also opt out by calling 1-888-567-8688.

Do-Not-Call registry: You can stop unwanted telemarketing calls by registering your home or wireless numbers on the national Do-Not-Call registry. Just call 1-888-382-1222 from the phone number you wish to register or visit www.donotcall.gov.

The registry began in 2003 as a way to let consumers choose whether they receive most telemarketing calls, and it's maintained by the Federal Trade Commission. Today, the Do-Not-Call list is up to more than 145 million registrations nationwide. If you continue to receive calls despite joining the registry, you can file complaints on the Do-Not-Call website.

Catalogchoice.org: The free service sponsored by the California-based Ecology Center, which promotes environmentally and socially responsible practices, allows you to unsubscribe to unwanted catalogs. You can already do this by contacting individual catalog companies, but the website lets you take your name off many mailing lists with just a few clicks. Don't expect immediate results; it can take at least 10 weeks for the site to process your requests.

Spam filters: These filters block unwanted "junk" e-mail and allow you to approve or disapprove senders. Software typically costs $30 to $40. Some computer security software packages may include spam filters along with anti-virus programs. Find anti-spam programs where computer software is sold.

Dmaconsumers.org: Reduce unwanted mail by registering with the Direct Marketing Association's Mail Preference Service, and the association will have your name taken off the mailing lists of the national marketers it works with. Sign up for free online or print out a mail-in registration form (which requires a $1 check or money order to cover processing fees). A credit card number is required to validate your identity and mailing address, but your card will not be charged. The association has a similar service for unsolicited marketing e-mails.

GreenDimes.com: A one-stop-shop for reducing junk mail. For a fee of $20, the Web-based company will remove your household from dozens of mailing lists, promising to cut 90 percent of the junk mail and unwanted catalogs that typically flow into your home. When you sign up, the company also has 10 trees planted on your behalf. You can register for your own household or give the service to someone else as a gift.